JPH0724993A - Thermal transfer printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To thermally transfer the image of a transfer film to the surface of a solid object by forming the transfer film by electrostatically printing the image of the original picture on a resin film. CONSTITUTION:Along the transfer route of the resin film 4 taken up by a taking-up roller 32 from a feed-out roller 2, a release agent coating device A applying a release agent to the upper surface of the resin film 4 to form a release layer, an electrostatic copy device B electrostatically printing an image on the release layer, an adhesive coating device C applying a transparent adhesive to the electrostatically printed surface to form an adhesive layer and a thermal transfer device D superposing the adhesive layer of the resin film 4 on the surface of soap (s) and pressing the same by a heating roller 30 to thermally transfer the image are successively arranged.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention is a solid film in which an image of an original image is repeatedly electrostatically copied onto a resin film continuously fed from a feeding roller, and an electrostatic printing surface is sequentially thermally transferred onto the surface of a solid material such as soap. The present invention relates to a thermal transfer printing device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In the conventional thermal transfer printing apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 4-69067, a transfer film having an original image printed in advance by a gravure printing machine or the like is superposed on the surface of a solid material, and a heating roller is pressed against the film. , The image of the transfer film is thermally transferred onto the surface of the solid material. In the above-mentioned thermal transfer printing apparatus, unless at least about 10,000 transfer films are profitably prepared, the transfer film cost becomes relatively high, and it is not suitable for printing about several hundreds of advertising soap or the like.

[0003]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to produce a transfer film by electrostatically printing an original image on a transfer film in order to realize rapid and low-cost thermal transfer of various kinds and small amounts. Thermal transfer of images to the surface of solid objects,
It is to provide a thermal transfer printing apparatus.

[0004]

In order to achieve the above object, the structure of the present invention applies a release agent to the upper surface of the resin film along the transfer path of the resin film wound from the feeding roller to the winding roller. And a release agent coating device for forming a release layer, an electrostatic copying device for electrostatically printing an image on the release layer, and a transparent adhesive on the electrostatic printing surface to form an adhesive layer. An adhesive applying device and a thermal transfer device for superposing an adhesive layer of a resin film on the surface of a solid material and pressing it with a heating roller for thermal transfer are sequentially arranged.

[0005]

The resin film fed from the delivery roller is coated with a release agent on one surface to form a release layer, and the original image is electrostatically printed on the release layer by electrostatic copying. Adhesive is applied to to complete the transfer film. In a thermal transfer device, a transfer film is superposed on the surface of a solid material such as soap, and a heating roller is pressed to thermally transfer the image of the transfer film to the surface of the solid material. A material that does not dissolve in water is applied to one surface of the soap as a solid material in advance to form a thin film capable of thermal transfer.

[0006]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A thermal transfer printing apparatus according to the present invention is a line for forming a transfer film 4a by an electrostatic copying apparatus B and a line for forming a water-insoluble thin film for printing on one side of soap s as a solid matter. And the thin film-formed soap s is thermally transferred by the thermal transfer device E to the image on the transfer film 4a.

A line for forming the transfer film 4a is provided with a release agent along the transfer path of the resin film 4 which is wound from the feed roller 2 through the guide roller 3, the reverse retention mechanism D, the guide roller 31 and the winding roller 32. A coating device A, an electrostatic copying device B, an adhesive coating device C, and a thermal transfer device E are arranged.

Preferably, a reversal retention mechanism D for reversing and retaining the transfer film 4a is disposed between the adhesive coating device C and the thermal transfer device E.

The release agent applying device A is provided with a sprayer 6 and a blower tube 9. After spraying the release agent in the release agent tank 5 onto the resin film 4 from the sprayer 6, cool air is blown from the blower tube 9 by the blower 8. The resin film 4 is sprayed onto the resin film 4 and dried, and further dried by a heater 10 such as an infrared lamp to form a release layer on the resin film 4. The amount of spray and the spray pressure of the sprayer 6 and the amount of air blown by the blower tube 9 are controlled by the electronic control unit 7.

The electrostatic copying apparatus B is similar to a known color copying machine. When the original image 12 is placed on the transparent original image placing plate 13a provided on the upper surface of the box 14 and covered with the light shielding plate 13, The original image 12 is created by the optical scan inside the box 14.
Is read as an electric image signal, and the powder ink charged and attached to each of the electrostatic drums 15 to 18 corresponding to each of the yellow, red (magenta), blue (cyan), and black image signals becomes electrostatic drum 15. With rotation of .about.18, it is fused onto the release layer of the resin film 4, and the image of the original image 12 is electrostatically printed on the resin film 4.

The adhesive coating device C heats the resin film 4 with a heater 20 such as an infrared lamp, and then, an adhesive tank 21.
The adhesive is applied to the entire upper surface of the resin film 4 on the electrostatic printing surface by the application roller 22, heated and solidified by the heater 24, and dried by the cool air from the blower tube 25. The temperature of the heater 20 and the coating amount of the coating roller 22 are controlled by the electronic control unit 1.
9, the temperature of the heater 24 and the amount of air blown by the air blower tube 25 are controlled by the electronic control unit 23. Thus
The resin film 4 is processed into a transfer film 4a by sequentially forming a peeling layer, an electrostatic printing layer and an adhesive layer on one surface.

The reversal retention mechanism D twists and hangs the transfer film 4a by 180 ° between the pair of upper and lower drive rollers 26 and 27 which sandwich the transfer film 4a. The resin film 4 is processed into the transfer film 4a while being continuously fed from the guide roller 3 to the driving roller 26 in the direction of the arrow, and the reverse retention mechanism D
Then, the transfer film 4a is turned upside down, and the transfer film 4b is intermittently taken up from the drive roller 27 to the take-up roller 32.

The thermal transfer device E comprises a pair of upper and lower tension rollers 28.
Between the guide roller 31 and the guide roller 31, the heating roller 30 is provided above the transfer film 4b, and the elevating table 76 having a large number of rollers is provided below the transfer film 4b. Lift stand 7
6 is elastically pressed by a pneumatic actuator 75 onto the heating roller 30 together with the transfer film 4b of soap s as a solid material supported by the roller. Heating roller 3
Zero is maintained at a predetermined temperature by a plurality of far infrared heaters 29 arranged on the upper half peripheral surface.

On the other hand, the soap s as a solid substance is sent to the delivery table 41.
While riding on the horizontal conveyor belt 43 guided by the rollers 42, 44, the paint in the paint tank 61 is repeatedly applied to the upper surface of the soap s from the three sprayers 63, and the hot air in the hot air tank 67 is applied. The two front and rear blowers 64
From the front, the cold air in the low temperature air tank 68 is blown from the foremost blower tube 64, and finally dried by a heater 66 such as an infrared lamp. Thus, the soap s forms a water-insoluble thin film for printing on one side. The reason why the paint, hot air, and cold air are repeatedly sprayed on the surface of the soap s is to dry and solidify the thin film quickly and uniformly.

The conveyor belt 43 is guided into the cleaning tank 53 by the rollers 45 and 46, the paint adhering to the conveyor belt 43 is removed by the cleaning liquid 51 and the cleaning brush 52, and heated while being guided by the rollers 47 and 48. Vessel 49
To be dried. The cleaning liquid 51 is filtered by a pump 5
0, the paint is removed by the filter 50, and the cleaning tank 53
Returned to.

Next, while the soap s moves on the belt conveyor 73, the adhesive is applied to the upper surface of the water-insoluble thin film of the soap s by the sprayer 69, and the hot air in the hot air tank 67 is moved to the front and rear. From the blower cylinders 70, 72 to the low temperature air tank 6
The cold air of No. 8 is blown alternately from the blower tube 71 in the middle.

Next, the soaps s are sent one by one onto the rollers of the elevating table 76 by the belt conveyor 74, and both side surfaces are lightly pressed by a pair of left and right sandwiching plates (not shown).
The soap s is transferred by the pneumatic actuator 75 to the film 4
It is elastically pressed against the heating roller 30 with b sandwiched.
The soap s is synchronized with the intermittent feeding operation of the transfer film 4b.
The adhesive layer as the printing surface of the transfer film 4b is on the lower surface of the transfer film 4b.
Overlaid on the frame image. During one rotation of the heating roller 30, the soap s is sent to the belt conveyor 77 by the heating roller 30.

At this time, the image on the transfer film 4b is soap s.
Is thermally transferred to the printing surface of. Specifically, transfer film 4b
The electrostatic printing layer is peeled from the peeling layer, and the adhesive layer covering the electrostatic printing layer is fused to the adhesive layer covering the water-insoluble thin film of the soap s. The lift table 76 is pushed down by the pneumatic actuator 75, and the pair of holding plates are opened. The elevating table 76 receives the next soap s from the belt conveyor 74, and the next image on the transfer film 4b is thermally transferred by the heating roller 30 in the same manner.

[0019]

As described above, according to the present invention, since the peeling layer, the electrostatic printing layer and the adhesive layer are sequentially formed on one surface of the resin film fed from the feeding roller to continuously form the transfer film, It is possible to quickly and inexpensively manufacture advertising soap and the like even in small quantities.

Since the transfer film uses a resin film, there is no risk of deformation or damage, and since the image is electrostatically printed on the resin film, the transfer film can be easily manufactured and the image can be easily changed.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view showing a schematic configuration of a thermal transfer printing apparatus according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

A: Release agent coating device B: Electrostatic copying device C: Adhesive coating device E: Thermal transfer device s: Soap 2: Delivery roller 4: Resin film 30:
Heating roller 32: Take-up roller

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A release agent applying device for applying a release agent on the upper surface of a resin film to form a release layer along a transfer path of a resin film wound from a delivery roller to a take-up roller, and an upper release layer coating device. An electrostatic copying apparatus for electrostatically printing an image on
An adhesive coating device that coats a transparent adhesive on the electrostatic printing surface to form an adhesive layer, and a thermal transfer device that overlays the resin film adhesive layer on the surface of a solid material and presses it with a heating roller to transfer heat. A thermal transfer printing apparatus, in which the above are sequentially arranged. 2. The thermal transfer printing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a reverse retention mechanism for reversing and temporarily retaining the resin film surface between the adhesive applying device and the thermal transfer device.